


The End of Innocence

by flamboyant_moriarty



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, Gen, Hunger Games
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-22
Updated: 2013-07-21
Packaged: 2017-12-20 23:09:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/892987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flamboyant_moriarty/pseuds/flamboyant_moriarty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Six years after Katniss and Peeta won the 74th Hunger Games the Games continue to be the deadly game show the Capitol craves for. This story tells the tale of a twelve year old named Gianna and her experiences in the 80th Hunger Games with its unique arena. </p>
<p>(The conception of this story was made before Catching Fire had been published so instead of changing my fic to fit Catching Fire and Mockingjay I just thought to hell with it and continued writing xD)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The End of the Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Again I began writing this story before Catching Fire came out. I published what I have written so far on fanficiton.net but stopped writing. Now that I started writing "The Rest Remains to Be Seen" I thought I could continue this story and publish it on ao3!

_Another day, another reaping, another difficult year has passed._ I thought.

 

As I waited for the 80th Hunger Games reaping to begin, I thought about what would be happening in all likely hood in our district in the next few weeks or months. Families would be shuttering the windows in mourning, desks would continue to stay empty in classrooms and one more child’s name would be added to the seemingly never ending lists of deaths. Since six years ago when Katniss and Peeta won the 74th Hunger Games there hadn’t been a win for District Twelve, not one had even made the top five. I squeezed my older brother’s hand glad that he wasn’t forced to enter the dozens of times like he had to in years past in order for our family to have the necessary amount of “tesserae”. But because he didn’t have to enter that means…

 

"May the odds be ever in my favor," I gave him a shaky smile. My brother Hiro Jumangi was nineteen years old, one year past the maximum eligibility of being entered in the Hunger Games. Since he was too old it fell upon me to enter my name so our extended family could have the basic amount of “tesserae”. Tesserae was the word for a combination of oil and a type of tough bread each family is allotted. Having my name put in twenty times might seem excess but the food wasn’t just needed for my mom, dad, brother and I. It was also so my aunts, uncles, and young cousins would have enough to live comfortably if the winter started becoming too harsh. There would have been another helping me and Hiro split the entries but….

 

"They will be Gianna." he replied to my unstable statement while giving me a reassuring hug, dispelling the thoughts that had started to creep in my mind. He couldn’t know for sure of course that I wouldn’t be chosen but in all his six years of entering he (obviously) had never been picked and his name was in there far more than mine was now. Mine was only in twenty times because it was my first time and my parents hadn’t wanted to worry me too much. Especially with what happened three years ago….

 

Thinking about my parents made me want to see their comforting faces again. Instead of looking at ease, they looked worried. My dad was rubbing his stubble, which was something he only did when their as a big decision that had to be made, and my mom was tapping her fingers against her thigh. I averted my gaze quickly so we wouldn’t make eye contact and they wouldn’t have to forcibly change their facial expression for my benefit. I decided to look for my closest friends Varsi Madigan and Alaoe Fearsie. A little down the square I saw Varsi walking toward her age group since she was a year older than Alaoe and I. As if on cue Alaoe’s trademarked shot hair came into view so I slid up next to her giving her hand a squeeze and smiled, trying my best to imitate how Hiro had looked at me minutes before.

 

As the last of District Twelve citizens walked to their respective sections the mayor and other important people walked over to their seats on the stage and sat down. Everyone waited anxiously for this to be all over I hoped and prayed with all my strength that it would be no one I knew like Varsi or Alaoe. The mayor pulled the name out.

 

"Gianna Jumangi."

 

Did I hear right? Did he say _me_? I felt tears in my eyes. I will not cry! I will not cry! Not in front of my parents!

 

Everyone in the District was shocked. Not only because I was twelve but because my family was no doubt going to experience another loss this year like they did three years ago. No one was as shocked or devastated as Hiro. He mouthed "I love you". From my angle on the stage I could to see him raise his hands to eyes, covering up the tears that he thought I couldn’t see. I have never seen my brother cry, not even when Zainia died.

 

I was thoroughly absorbed looking at Hiro that I almost missed the name of my male companion that would also accompany to the Capitol, along with Effie, Haymitch, Katniss and Peeta.

 

"Jacob Luven."

 

I stared in shock at the largest most muscular man in District Twelve. And that's saying something because usually District Twelve is characterized by being twig like and poor looking. His shaggy black hair looked way better than my hair which was consisted of two dull brown braids that my mom had to spend two hours fixing and re-fixing to make sure they were perfect.

 

He gave the cameras a large grin and sat next to me.

 

He smirked "I think we're supposed to shake hands."

 

I blushed and meekly stuck out my hand.

 

That was the end of the beginning.


	2. I've Got Troubled Thoughts and a Self- Esteem to Match

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gianna contemplates her likelihood of winning when she has to say good bye to all the friends and family she has known.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes the chapter title came from What a Catch Donnie by Fall out Boy :3 I was listening to it at the time and thought those lyrics fit nicely to this chapter.

As we were forced to follow the game masters into the Hall of Justice I thought about the next few weeks and how my family would react. Mom would hold it up for a few days but I knew she couldn't be strong for the whole time, she had barely been able to function for months three years ago. Dad would be acting as if everything would be okay. Nothing would ever be the same again though because let’s face it I don't have that much of a chance of winning. Hiro.... I couldn't think about him without tearing up. 

These pessimistic thoughts were put in the back of my mind however after I was led into the room where my family and friends would come to wish me luck (but everyone knew it was in order to say their last good byes). What a place for final conversations though. The furniture was way bigger and brighter than anything I had ever seen. Everything looked brand new and the whole room had the faint odor of the end of a summer rain. In shock, I took of my sandals and quietly walked on the soft floor, sitting on the end of the long upholstered blue couch.

I didn’t have to wait long for my visitors to arrive.

 

First ones in were my parents.

"Gia..." They rushed onto me and gave me the biggest hug I've ever had from them or anyone. If only it wasn't because of the reason it was it would have been a happy moment.

"Everything is going to be fine." Mom whispered by the side of my face as she continued to hug me.

I knew it never would be fine, normal or okay again. I was the only one who could see the truth plainly while they were still trying to cover up the truth with their deception of false hope.

"Please win Gianna." My dad said, staring me straight in the eyes. "Come home in one piece. Promise?"

"I promise." I whispered softly. I noticed how he didn’t say ‘come home alive’ just that I should come back in one piece. We weren’t able to have a proper funeral for Zainia….She didn’t come home, in one piece or any pieces for that matter.

We spent a few more minutes together until they finally gave me what could be the final look that my parents would be able to give me. Their fake smiles were obviously the only glue able to stem back the process that had started inside them. That I was already gone, they were already grieving my loss.

I saved that image in my head even if it obviously a farce put on for my benefit. My father’s black hair in a mess at the top of his head, his blue eyes sad and my mom's long brown hair in a braid, her face smiling, trying to not look like I already lost.

Next was Alaoe and Varsi. Running at top speed, it felt like I got run over by a talking whirlwind. It was a jolt from the scene I had just been in with my parents.

"Gia! You'll be okay! You'll make it!" They tried to say in the middle of our crying.

We sat there, remembering all the times we had. Like when last year we made bracelets for each other out of plants. Or when we snuck out of the hole in the fence into the woods, because we wanted to feel rebellious.

Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupted us.

"Gianna. It's me Hiro. There's only five minutes left."

My best friends looked at me, perhaps for the last time, in the same sorrowful way my parents had.

"May the odds be ever in your favor." they said, leaving me with my brother.

As Hiro walked in I could see he was just keeping it together.

"Well... I think you should… have this. As a… parting....gift." He was trying to stop the waterfall of tears that I could see glistening on his eyes. I stood up and hugged him.

"It's okay. I _will_ try Hiro." I looked up. "Don't die in the mines." Working in the mines could be just as dangerous as being in the Hunger Games, death was just as unavoidable and random at times.

He tried to smile. "I won't."

He started to tie something in my hair. I reached up. A ribbon!

I knew it must have cost a lot of money to buy this ribbon. It was a smooth light purple strip of cloth that used up a majority of his personal collection of money that hadn’t been handed immediately to my parents.

I grinned. "Thank you." That was the first time I had genuinely smiled since being reaped, there probably wouldn’t be many more happy moments before my death but I would cherish them as much as I could.

"No thanks needed. Just win Gia."

"I will Hiro."

He looked behind him as the peace keepers entered the room, saying that the time was up. He tussled my hair like old times and exited the room but not before giving me a serious glance and nodding. The looked seemed to say “I believe in you even if you don’t believe in yourself even if the odds weren’t in your favor. The game isn’t over yet until the victor is announced.”

Trying to convince myself of this thought was an entirely different process than just thinking it and knowing it. As we were led onto the train that would take us to the Capitol I thought of the slim chances I had of winning and of the 23 other competitors each probably having the same thought I was.

As the cameras were whirring around me as I boarded the train of course I had to be the first contestant to trip on the train step.

Instinctively my arms moved forward to break my fall but I didn't need them. A rough hand grabbed around my thin waist and pulled me up.

"Watch where you’re going. Don't want you hurting yourself this early on do we?"

It was Jacob.

I smiled. "Of course not." Inside I was just burning with embarrassment.

When I actually got up the steps and into the train I ran into my room to prepare myself. I was about to formally meet the pride and glory of District Twelve Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you have a fantastic day!


End file.
